Battery terminal clamp



May 12, 1936. H. EULBERG BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed April 18, 1932Bnnentor #f5/Vey 2455/66 Bg Gttorneg the clamp has tery terminal or l55Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES BATTERY 'rERMiNAn CLAMP HenryEulberg, Ocean Beach, Calif., assigner to Louise D. Eulberg ApplicationApril 18, 1932, Serial No. 605,853

11 Claims.

My invention Yrelates to battery terminal clamps, and the objects of myinvention are:

First, to provide a clamp of this class which not only iirmly clamps theterminals of the battery but also at the same time secures itselfrigidly andpositively to the end of a cable;

Second, to provide a clamp of this class which eliminates the need of asoldered, brazed or welded joint between the battery cable and theterminal clamp;

Third, to provide a. clamp of this class which incorporates a novelwedge member adapted to engage the end of a cable and provide adequatecontacting surface;

- Fourth, to provide a `clamp of this class which requires only one toolin order to secure or remove the clamp, thus enabling one to reach intoawkward places and with one hand remove the clamp; Y

Fifth, to provide a clamp of this class which incorporates a novel meansadapted to prevent corrosion around the securing bolt so that said ,boltmay be tightened or withdrawn even though been in use for a considerableperiodof time;

Sixth, to provide a clamp of this class in which `the tendency tocorrode is reduced to a minimum, which may be placed either side up uponthe battery terminal, and fits either the positive or negative terminalof a battery;

Seventh, toV provide a double acting battery terminalclamp adapted tosimultaneously clamp boththe battery terminal and a cable, whereinthe'securing bolt may be released suiiciently to u allow removal of theclamp from the binding post or terminal post of the battery withoutnecessitating a disconnection betweenA the clamp and the cable, and

Eighth, to provide on the whole a novelly constructed battery terminalclamp which is durable, efficient in its action, and which will notreadily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the 'appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the charactersofv reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel battery terminal clampshowing the cable and -batpost by dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a sectionalview substantially through 2-2 of Fig.

1, with parts and portions shown in elevation and with the batteryterminal post and cable shown in solid lines; Fig. 3 is a sectional viewthrough 3-3 of Fig. 2 with parts and portions shown in elevation; Fig. 4is a sectional view through 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an end elevationalview of the clamp member with a portion thereof broken away and insection; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the clamp member taken through6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 'T is an end elevational view of the wedge member,and Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the corrosion preventing packing.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawing.

Clamp member I, wedge member 2, bolt 3, and packing member 4, constitutethe principal parts and portions 'of my novel battery terminal clamp.

The clamp member I comprises an open loop portion la.. One extremity ofthe loop portion is provided with an integral hollow which extendslaterally therefrom, that is at right angles to the axis of the loopportion Ia. The forementioned extremity of the loop Ia which forms, thesecured end of the arm radially outwardly or substantially so from thenormal surface of the loop Ia. The arm Ib diverges from this end so thatits extremity is enlarged in the plane of the loop Ia. 'I'he opening,designated Ic, formed in the arm Ib is provided with divergirig sidewalls Id extending at substantially right angles to the open or slittedportion of the loop la. The upper and lower walls of the opening Ic areparallel, as shown best in Figs. 4 and 5. The forementioned side wallsId and Ie are preferably rounded and the side wall Ie is provided with aplurality of transverse ridges If.

The remaining end Ig of the loop Ia extends approximately radially. Theend Ig is provided with a hole Ih, the side walls of which divergeslightly towards the inner side of the end Ig, that is towards theadjacent or inner end of the arm Ib. The axis of the hole Ih is inapproximate alinement with the center of curvature of the side wall Idof the opening Ic.

The annular opening formed by the loop la is adapted to iit over abattery terminal T, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order that the loopmay be fitted either side first the walls of its opening diverge towardsthe center of the loop, as shown in Fig. 5.

The opening Ic is adapted to receive a wedge member 2. The side walls ofthe wedge member 2 are flat so as to t loosely but snugly between armportion Ib Ib extends ,Y

Id and Ie, the side wall' the upper and lower walls of the opening Ic.'Ihe wedge member when viewed from one of its sides is substantiallytrapezoidal in form. One edge, designated 2a, is rounded and is adaptedto t adjacent the side wall Id of the opening. The opposite edge formsan acute angle and is provided with a concave surface, designated 2b,which approximately complements the curvature of the side wall le of theopening. The concave edge 2b is substantially parallel with the wall lewhen the edge 2a is adjacent the wall Id, as shown best in Fig. 2. 'I'hewedge 2 is provided with a threaded V bore 2c therethrough extendingfrom its smaller or inner end to its larger or outer end in paralleldisposed adjacent relation with the edge 2a.

A bolt 3 is provided which includes a shank portion 3a threaded at itsextremity, and a head 3b. The bolt 3 extends through the hole lh andinto the opening lc. The threaded end of the shank 3a is adapted toscrew into the threaded bore Y2c. It will be noted that the shank of thebol-t ts loosely in the hole Ih as well as the smaller end of theopening Ic.

Before inserting the bolt a packing member 4 composed of felt or othercompressible material and normally having the cylindrical form shown inFig. 8, is wedged in the slit formed between the extremities of the loopla. The bolt is then thrust through the opening, designated 4a, providedin theV packing member.

The wall le of the opening Ic which is corrugated by reason of theridges if, and the conca ve, sloping side or edge 2b of the wedge 2together form clamping surfaces which areV adapted to engage oppositesides of a cable C such as the conventional cable used to connect anautomobile battery with other portions of the automobile. Asv the bolt 3draws inwardly upon the wedge 2 the lcable C is tightly secured so thatit cannot fall out. The ample contacting surfaces provided. between Athecable and the terminal clamp insures positive electrical connectionbetween the clamp and cable. The loop la is sufficiently stiff to.enable the bolt 3 to be tightened until the cable is secured sufcientlyto permit handling of the, cable andterminal clamp' as a unit whileinstalling them. When the clamp is positioned on the battery terminaland the bolt is further tightened a particularly rigid connectionbetween the clamp and the cable is assured. During the clamping actionthe packingv member 4 wedges into the space allowed between the bolt andthe holes or openings through which it extends. By applying a suitablelubricant to the packing member abolt is maintained in a condition whichpermits its ready removal when desired. In fact this is the case eventhough no lubricant or the like is applied to the packing member byreason of the fact that the packing member is located at the place wherecorrosion usually occurs and inasmuch as the packing member fills thisspace, obviously corrosion cannot take place, and

- hence cannot bind the bolt.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited tothis particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire toinclude in the scope of my invention the construction, combination andarrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a battery terminal receivingloop member, a bolt and a separate wedge shaped nut for constrictingsaid loop member, and a cable engaging and clamping means including arst clamp element formed by one side of said nut, and a second clampelement integral with said loop member, said loop member being ofsumcient strength to withstand a predetermined constricting forcewhereby said clamping means secures said cable before said loop memberis constricted.

2. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a battery terminal receivingloop member, a bolt and a separate wedge-shaped nut for constructingsaid loop member, a cable clamping means including a rst clamp elementformed by one side of said nut, and a second clamp element integral withsaid loop member conforming to the side of said nut, said loop memberloosely tting the shank of said bolt, and a compressible packing memberformed of non-metallic material disposed in the space between said loopmember and said shank. Y

3. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a battery terminal receivingloop member, a bolt and aseparate wedge shaped nut for constricting saidloop member, and a cable clamping means including a rst clamp elementformed by a side of said nut, and a second clamp element integral withsaid loop member conforming to the side of said nut, said loop memberbeing of sufcient strength to withstand a predetermined constrictingforce whereby said clamping means secures said cable before said loopmember is constricted, said loop member loosely fitting the shank ofsaid bolt, and a compressible packing member formed of non-metallicmaterial disposedin the space between the loop member and said shank.

4. Abattery terminal clampcomprising, a slitted V'40 loop member shapedto lit a battery terminal, a hollow arm extending from an extremity ofsaid loop member, the opening therein diverging from said loop member,an apertured lug at the other extremity of said loop member, a boltextendingv through said lug into said hollow arm, a tapered wedge memberslidable in said hollow arm and forming a nut for said bolt, one side ofsaid wedge member conforming with a wall of said hollow arm to form acable clamping means which upon tightening of said bolt causes aclamping action upon a cable end disposed in said hollow arm as well asconstriction of said loop member.

5. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a

slitted loop member shaped t0 t a battery. terminal, a hollow armextending from an eX-' tremity of said loop member, the opening thereindiverging from said loop member, an apertured lug at the other extremityof said loop member,

a bolt extending through said lug into said hollow arm, a tapered wedgemember slidable in said hollow arm and forming a nut for said bolt, one

side of said wedge member conforming with a wall 0f said hollow arm toform a cable clamping means which upon' tightening of said bolt causes aclamping action upon a cable and disposed in said hollow arm as well asconstriction of said loop member, said loop member being of suicientstrength to withstand a predetermined constricting force whereby saidclamping means secures said cable before said loop member isconstricted.

6. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a slitted loop member shaped tot a battery terminal, a hollow arm extending from an extremity of saidloop member, the opening therein diverging from said loop member, anapertured lug at the other extremity of said loop member, a boltextending through said lug into said hollow arm, a tapered wedge memberslidable in said hollow arm and forming a nut for said bolt, one side ofsaid wedge member conforming with a wall of said hollow arm to form acable clamping means which upon tightening of said bolt causes aclamping action upon a cable end disposed in said hollow arm as well asconstriction of said loop member, said lug and hollow arm looselyfitting said bolt shank thereby forming a space therearound, and acompressible, non-metallic packing member disposed in said space.

7. A battery terminal clamp comprising, a slitted loop member shaped tot a battery terminal, a hollow arm extending from an extremity of saidloop member, the opening therein diverging from said loop member, anapertured lug at the other extremity of said loop member, a boltextending through said lug into said hollow arm, a tapered wedge memberslidable in said hollow arm and forming a nut for said bolt, one side ofsaid wedge member conforming with a wall of said hollow arm to form acable clamping means which upon tightening of said bolt causes aclamping action upon a cable end disposed in said hollow arm as well asconstriction of said loop member, said loop member being of sujcientstrength to withstand a predetermined constricting force whereby saidclamping means secures said cable before said loop member isconstricted, said lug and hollow arm loosely fitting said bolt shankthereby forming a space therearound, and

a compressible, non-metallic packing member disposed in said space.

8. A split clamp member to fit on a support, and combined biting andconstricting means carried by the clamp member and having a head, saidmember having a socket suiliciently oversized to simultaneously containthe head and any one oi a variety of sizes of cable ends.

9. A split clamp member to t on a support, and combined biting andconstricting means carried by the clamp member and having a l'ead with aconcavity along one side, said member having a socket sufficientlyoversized to simultaneously contain the head and any one of a variety ofsizes of cable ends a portion of which occupies the concavity.

10. A split clamp member to fit on a support, and combined biting andconstricting means carried by the clamp member and having a head with aconcavity along one side, said member having a socket which is roundedalong at least one extremity to confront the concavity, said socketbeing suiciently oversized to simultaneously contain the head and anyone of a variety of sizes of cable ends between the concavity androunded extremity.

11. A split clamp member having an opening to fit on a support, andcombined biting and constricting means carried by the clamp means andhaving a head, said member having a socket isolated from the opening andsuiciently oversized to simultaneously contain the head and a cable end.

HENRY EULBERG.

